Telephone switch



Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD W. GOFF, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNGR TO WESTERN ELECTRICCOMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NELU YORK.

TELEPHONE SWITCH.

Application filed September 18, 1923.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HAROLD \V. Gorr, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TelephoneSwitches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to telephone switches and more specifically to aretracting spring used in such switches.

The object of the invention is the production of a switch which is lowin first cost, accessible for adjustment, efiicient in operation, simpleand rugged.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a contact bank onwhich a plurality of active contact retracting springs are mounted andeasily removable therefrom for adjustment and repairs.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of areenforcing strip which is secured to the active contact support and onwhich slotted lugs are provided to receive the fastening end portion ofthe active contact retracting springs.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of aretracting spring ha"- ,ing its fastening end portion bent in the formof a V-shaped hook adapted to lit tightly into respective slots in asupporting strip and the provision of a depression at the free endportion of the hook adapted to snap into one of the slots through themedi- 11111 of the spring tension of the hook for holding the retractingspring against longitudinal movements.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following descriptionand by the claims appended hereto, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of a switching structurein which the retracting spring is used, Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe switching structure of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of acontact support showing a retracting spring in position thereon, andFig. 4- is a side view of a retracting spring.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

The switch structure in which the retracting spring disclosed in thisinvention forms a part consist-s of a plurality of active and passivecontact sets, the active contacts be- Serial No. 663,465.

ing adapted to be moved selectively in contacting relation with theirassociated passive contacts through the conjoint operation of selectingand operating bars.

Each set of active contacts consists of a plurality of bare wires 20, 21and 22 which are molded into an insulating block 23, shown in Fig. l,and extend laterally therefrom in juxtaposition with sets. of associatedgrid wires 24, and 26. Such grid wires are interwoven with insulatingweft bars 15 secured on a frame 19 partially shown in Fig. 2. Each setof active contact wires 20, 21 and 22 protrude through an aperture 16 ina supporting plate 29 and each wire protrudes through its respectiveaperture in an insulating card 27. Each card 2? is slidably arranged ina channelshaped guide formed by a plurality of parallelly disposedT-shapcd bars 28 which are secured on the supporting plate 29. Vith eachcard 27. there is provided a retracting spring 30 adapted to hold thecards 2? and the active contacts 20, 2'1. and 22 served thereby in.normal non-operated position as shown by the upper and lower sets ofcontacts in. Fig. 2 wherein the retracting spring 30 is shown restingagainst the stop 31 in the supporting plate 29.

Each retracting spring 30 has its fastone ing end portion bent in theform of a V- shaped hook adapted to tit into the slots of two parallellydisposed lugs 32 and 33 which are integrally formed with the reenforcingstrip 34; secured on the insulating block 523 in any convenient andsuitable manner. The free end portion of each hook is provided with adepression (35 adapted to engage the lower portion of lug 32 under themedium of the spring tension of the hook for holding the retractingspring against longitudinal movement.

For each vertical row of active contacts, there is provided a selectingbar 36 on which the cams 37 are secured. On one end of each bar 36,there is provided an arm 38 in operable relation with an arm 39 of anarmature 40 which is adapted to rotate the bar 36 in response to eachenergization of an operating magnet 41.

For each horizontal row of active contacts, there is provided arotatable bar 42, each of which carries a plurality of resilient liftingfingers 43 each associated with a retracting spring 30 and a cam 37,. Oneach bar 42, there is provided an armature 44 adapted to rotate itsassociated bar 42 in response to each energization of an electromagnet45. 5 It is to be noted that normally the lifting fingers 43 are free tomove by the side of their associated retracting springs without engagingthem. When the selecting bar .36 is moved a small angular distance fromnormal to operated position as shown at 60 in Fig. 1, the movement ofbar 42 from normal to operated position results in flexing the liftingfinger disposed at the intersection of the two bars out of its normalpath for operatively engaging its associated retracting spring 30, andthereby releasing its associated active contacts 20, 21 and 22 whichmove into contact with their associated grid wires 24, 25 and 26 throughthe medium of their own tension. The selecting bar 36 may be returned tonormal position immediately to participate in the establishment of othercoexisting connections but the horizontal bar 42 and the lifting fingers43 carried thereby remain in operated position throughout the durationof the connection.

This invention is an improvement of the type of switch disclosed inPatent 1,515,735 issued to C. L. Goodrum, et al. on November 18, 1924.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a switching device, switch contacts, a slotted support and aretracting spring for moving said contacts held in said slots throughthe medium of its own tension.

2. In a switching device, the combination of switch contacts, a contactsupport, a slotted member secured on said support, a retracting springfor moving said contacts having a V-shaped hook, and means inteigrallyformed with said hook for holding said spring against movement in saidslots.

I11 a switching device, the combination of sets of active contacts, asupporting mem- 45 her therefor, a retracting spring associated witheach of said sets, parallelly arranged slot-ted lugs carried by saidmember, a pair of said lugs for each of said springs, and means forholding each of said springs against longitudinal movement in the slotsof said member.

4. In a switching device, a contact supporting member having twoparallelly dis posed slotted lugs, and a retracting spring removablyarranged in said slots, said spring having a fastening end portion bentin the form approximately of a V-shaped hook and a depression at thefree end portion of said hook for holding said spring against movementin said slots.

5. In a switching device, the combination of an insulating support, areenforcing strip secured on said support, parallellydisposed slottedlugs laterally extending from opposite sides of said strip, andindividually removable retracting springs each having a V-shaped springhook for holding said spring against movement in said slots.

6. In a switching device, the combination of a set of active contactwires arranged in an insulating block, a reenforcing strip for saidblock, a card associated with said set of wires, and a retracting springfor said card, said spring having its fastening end portion in the formapproximating a V- shaped hook and a depression formed at the free endportion of said hook for holding said spring in said slots.

7. In an automatic fastening device, the combination of a supportingstrip, a pair of parallelly disposed slotted lugs arranged on saidstrip, and a V-shaped spring hook hav ing a depression adapted to snapinto one of said slots through the medium of the spring hook tension.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day ofSeptember A. D., 1923.

HAROLD IV. GOFF.

